


Fracturated glass

by Look_for_the_miracles



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/M, Frodo Needs a Hug, Hobbits, Short One Shot, before the havens, effect of the one ring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:14:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23427580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Look_for_the_miracles/pseuds/Look_for_the_miracles
Summary: The world is different now. It's the thing Frodo thinks about most these days. The world is better now, free of great evil. And yet … it doesn't feel the same. It doesn't feel like home used to feel. Everything feels different to him, like strange echoes of the past, distorted and twisted. He's staring through a fractured glass of his making, looking out at a once-familiar world.
Relationships: Rose Cotton/Sam Gamgee
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	Fracturated glass

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya guys, I'm back with another LOTR one-shot. 
> 
> This is just a little piece that I've cobbled together from a little plot bunny. All about how Frodo might feel about how different the world is after the destruction of the One Ring and the defeat of Sauron.
> 
> Well, I hope you enjoy.

_The world is different now._

It’s the thing Frodo thinks about most these days. The thought rolls around his mind, just as a hobbit lad or lass would roll a hard-boiled sweet around their mouth. But it is not quite as pleasant as a sweet, nor is it easily consumed. Instead, it stays with him, like a house guest one can’t quite get rid of. Welcome at first perhaps, but eventually they begin to grate on a person.

It should be a good thing, that the world is so different. There is no more evil hanging their ends, no fear of Sauron and the One Ring. Everything is well and good and whole again. Even the Shire is recovering, healing the scars left by Sharkey’s men. Mostly thanks to Sam’s gift from the Lady Galadriel, but the hard work of all the hobbits cannot be ignored either. They’ve repaired their home and brought joy back to their lives.

But something feels wrong to Frodo. Almost as though he’s staring through the fractured glass from the wrong side of the mirror. The world is better now, free of great evil. And yet … it doesn’t feel the same. It doesn’t feel like home used to feel. Everything feels different to him, like strange echoes of the past, distorted and twisted. Though perhaps that’s not a fair assessment. Maybe it is not the world that’s different and twisted and changed. Perhaps it’s just him. He’s been through a war after all, and he was the ringbearer. Frodo is bound to feel strange after all of that. No one could come through the same things as him and come as exactly the same person. It just is not possible.

There’s something else though, something more. A constant chill in his bones, in his shoulder. Old wounds often play up, but this is worse than a knee aching in cold weather. It strikes on the anniversary of his injury, flaring up and burning so cold. He sees things when the pain strikes. False ghosts of memories past, dancing before his eyes and tempting him to touch them. But Frodo never can.

Perhaps that's for the best.

Well, he sighs and rises to his feet. The book is almost finished now. Frodo’s part is certainly done over now; it’s time for Sam to finish the book and continue the tale. He leaves the book on his desk, giving it one last affection pat. All of his and Bilbo’s adventures are contained in there, a written record of many good things, but also many bad things. The good times are what matter though – that’s what dear old Sam would say. Frodo patters out of his study, following the sound of gentle giggles down the hall. A soft smile blooms on his face. He approaches the sitting room and peers through the doorway. Sam and Rosie sit with young Elanor, playing before the crackling fire. Little Elanor giggles as her parents tickle her. They’re all so happy together, and it’s brought home to him that the world being different must be a good thing. Otherwise, this wonderful little family wouldn’t have been allowed to grow.

The world may be different, but that’s definitely a good thing.


End file.
